Peking Opera Night Show & Tickets

Rating:

Peking Opera, the most influential dramatic form in China and so-called the 'national drama', If you want to see an impressive Peking Opera production in an ancient theatre in Beijing, the Mei Lanfang Classics is a good choice, ticket prices may appear a little higher, but in Zhengyici theatre, an unique experience you never have in 90 minutes a panorama of Peking Opera, a great pleasure as yesterday once more.

Venue Guide: Zhengyici Theatre

About Mei Lanfang

Mei Lanfang (1894～1961), born in a family of Peking Opera actors, began to learn the performing art at the age of eight, made his debut at the age of ten and became a super star in the 1910s, thus turning Dan (female roles) to a prominent role of Peking Opera. In his dramatic career of 60 years, Mei Lanfang performed and created over 200 plays, making his contributions to the singing patters, speaking lines, dance, music, costumes and make-up and gradually forming his unique style, the so called ‘Mei School’. On a par with Stanislavsky (USSR) and Brecht (Germany), he is known as a representative of the Chinese performing arts school.

Cultural Linkage

One of the few remaining & oldest guildhalls in Beijing, Zhengyici Theatre was also called 'Banking House Guildhall'. From Dec 5, 2010, The unique two-storey opera tower stage a spectacular performance - 'Mei Lanfang Classics', five highlights from Mei Lanfang's classical works, brings the audience to a condensed appreciation of Peking Opera performing art within 90 minutes.

Programme List

1. KANG JIN BING (Battle with Invaders) - In order to fight the invading Jin troops, Liang Hongyu, wife of General Han Shizhong of the Song Dynasty, went to the battlefield to beat the drums, fight against invaders and finally won a grand victory.

2. GUI FEI ZUI JIU (Drunken Princess) - Emperor Ming makes an appointment with Princess Yang to enjoy the flowers and drink the wine. Princess gets the banquet ready but the emperor has gone to another Princess’s palace. Princess Yang is annoyed and has to drink by herself until she gets drunk.

3. MU GUIYING GUA SHUAI (Taking Command of Troops) - When the lord of West Xia starts a rebellion, the female general Mu Guiying takes command of the troops again at the age of fifty. This play is the acme of Mei School and the last play of Meilanfang through his life.

4. TIAN NV SAN HUA (Sylph Scattering Flowers) - The Buddha orders the heavenly maid to scatter the blossoms in Vimalakirtinirdesa’s room in order to test his faith. The heavenly maid scatters the blossoms in front of Vimalakirt inirdesa and proclaims the Buddha’s words before she returns to the west.

5. BA WANG BIE JI (Farewell to Princess Yu) - Xiang Yu, Hegemon king of West Chu, is encircled by the king of Han. Hegemon king’ Princess, Yu, drinking the wine and dancing with the sword, commits suicide. Afterwards, Hegemon king says farewell to his war-horse and kills himself by the Wujiang River.